EU Emissions drop

"Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU fell by 1.2 percent – or the equivalent of 59 million tonnes of CO2 – between 2006 and 2007, but a number of member states are still lagging behind the targets set by the UN's Kyoto Protocol on fighting climate change, the EU environment agency said on Friday (29 May).

Seventeen EU Member States reduced their emissions in 2007, with only Spain and Greece among the older member states not doing so, according to the Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency (EEA)."

Which means the EU is on course both for it's current 2020 target and it's Kyoto Target. Now these targets may be weak, but proof that you can grow your economy while cutting your emissions is important. The EU economy grew by 3% in the 2006-7 period.

So, maybe it's time for our politicians to adopt a stronger target - one more in line with the science. 40% by 2020. That's what we need.